October 18 th, 2015 Pastor David Kobelin

Living It – How have you been living; How have you been living - praying prayers of repentance?

II.Introduction What are traditions? From Merriam/Webster’s dictionary: a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time a : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable

III.Are Traditions Good or Bad? 2 Thessalonians 2:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. 1 Corinthians 11:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. Colossians 2:8 English Standard Version (ESV) 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

III.Are Traditions Good or Bad? Matthew 15:2-6 English Standard Version (ESV) 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

IV.How To Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Is it sourced in the Word of God or is it of human origin? Does it minister life, or legalism? Matthew 15:7-14 English Standard Version (ESV) 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”.”

Matthew 15:15-20 English Standard Version (ESV) 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone

V.What To Do? WHAT TRADITIONS MIGHT YOU NEED TO LET GO? WHAT TRADITIONS MIGHT YOU NEED TO EMBRACE?